Matthew's Family Portrait
by Cuore l'anima della
Summary: Francis and Arthur keep on fighting, barely a day passes with out them going at eachothers throat. Matthew just wishes everything could go back to the good old days when they didn't fight, when they were all a happy family.
1. Matthew's wish

**Me: I got the idea of this from a video on YouTube and the song Family Portrait.**

**I do not own Hetalia Axis Powers or the song Family Portrait.**

**This is written on Canada's point of view, uses human name and is an alternate universe **

~LINE~

_Momma please stop cryin'_

_I can't stand the sound_

_Your pain is painful and it's tearin' me down._

I can hear Arthur crying in the kitchen. It breaks my heart to see him like this. I know he has been drinking. He always drinks after they fight. I hate this. I hate hearing them shout insult after insult at each other. I hate hearing Arthur, and sometimes Francis, crying himself till he is too drunk to know why he is crying anymore.

_I hear glasses breakin' _

_as I sit up in my bed_

_I told dad you didn't mean_

_Those nasty things you said._

Late at night I woke up to the sound of glass breaking. I can hear them fighting again. "WHY THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU CARE WHAT I DO OR DON'T DO!"

"I'M JUST SAYING IF YOU DIDN'T DRINK SO MUCH MAYBE ALFRED WOULDN'T HAVE LEFT!"

"GET THE BLOODY HELL OUT OF MY SIGHT! I CAN'T STAND TO LOOK AT YOU! YOU MAKE ME SICK! I DON'T KNOW WHY I EVEN MARRIED YOU, YOU FROG!"

"FINE I WILL!"

I hear someone stomping up the stomping up the stairs and see Francis. "Papa?" I say, he just looked over to me, "I'm sure he didn't mean any of it. He's just drunk, is all." He just walked over and kissed my forehead.

I faintly heard him say, "Oh Matthew, if only you knew." Then he left down the hall to the guest room where he has been sleeping the last few weeks.

_You fight about money,_

'_bout me and my brother,_

_And this I come home to,_

_This is my shelter._

I sling my bag off my shoulder as I walk inside my house, my 'shelter'. I know they are in the kitchen. I can hear them fighting again.

"THEY AREN'T MY KIDS! YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF THEM FROG! SINCE YOU ARE THE ONE WITH THE MONEY!"

"WE AGREED TO TAKE CARE OF THEM BOTH, TOGETHER ARTHUR!"

"DON'T TOUCH ME FROG! AND WHAT DOES IT MATTER WHEN ONE OF THEM LEFT US!"

"HE WOULDN'T HAVE IF YOU DID WHAT YOU HAD TO DO! AND TOOK CARE OF THE BOY INSTEAD OF BUYING YOURSELF ALL THAT RUM!

"WHAT ABOUT YOU AND BUYING ALL THOSE HAIR PRODUCTS! I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO SPENDS A LOT OF MONEY!"

I just went upstairs to my room and sat in the corner of my room hugging my stuff bear. The walls were not enough to hide the yelling of my parents. This is my home, my 'shelter'.

_It ain't easy growin' up in World War III_

_Never known' what love could be, you'll see._

_I don't want love to destroy me_

_Like it has done my family._

It isn't easy for me to be here. It's like world war three to me. I have a crush on a girl at my school. But I am scared to talk to her. What if we were to end up like papa and Arthur? I don't want that to happen to me. No it is better to not love at all then to be hurt. I guess me and Kat will never be. This with her brother Ivan being protective of her is a good thing.

_Can we work it out?_

_Can we be a family?_

_I promise I'll be better, mommy I'll do anything_

I walked over to Arthur who was drinking his afternoon tea and reading a book. "Arthur?" I asked.

He looked up to me, "Yes Matthew, can I do something for you?" I sat down next to him.

"Can't you try to fix things with papa? I'm sure we can work it out somehow." I told him.

"I'm sorry lad, but sometimes things don't work out like you want them to." Arthur went back to reading his book and I left, I was fighting tears that were threatening to fall.

_Can we work it out?_

_Can we be a family?_

_I promise I'll be better, daddy please don't please._

The next time they fought I was sitting on the bottom steps of the stairs and they were upstairs. Then I heard the words I never wanted to hear.

"THAT IS IT! I CAN'T STAND TO BE HERE ANYMORE! I AM LEAVING THIS MAD HOUSE!" Francis yelled. I heard a door slam and someone walking down the stairs.

"Papa?" I asked. Francis smiled at me and gave me a hug.

"Je vous aime, prenez soin de vous." He mummered into my ear then let me go and left through the front door.

I could feel tears fall down my face. "Please don't go, please papa, don't leave." I'll do anything to have a family again.

_Daddy please stop yellin',_

_I can't stand the sound,_

_Make mama stop cryin',_

_Cause I need you around._

When Francis did come back it was the start of another fight. I wish they would stop yelling. I hate hearing them yell. After Francis left for work Arthur sat in the kitchen crying. _'Papa, why can't you see we need you? We need you to stop Arthur from crying. I need you to be around.' _ I thought to myself.

_My mama she loves you,_

_No matter what she says it's true._

_I know that she hurts you,_

_But remember I love you too._

I went to visit Francis at work at the restraint he works with. When I found him we started talking and I started talking about Arthur.

"I know he said a lot of hurtful things but he still love you, you know." I said.

"Matthew…" He ran a hand through his hair. "Even when people love each other they fight, and sometimes love isn't enough." He got up to leave.

"I love you, papa." I hugged him before he could leave.

He wrapped his arms around me and whispered, "Je vous aime, prenez soin de vous" And then left.

_I ran away today,_

_Ran from the noise ran away._

_Don't wanna go back to that place,_

_But don't have no choice, no way._

I decided I would do the same thing Alfred did and run away. I ran away because I can't stand the sound. I don't want to go back. But I know I will have to back sometime. I hugged my stuff bear closer and sigh. I look up and saw it would start snowing too. "I guess I have no choice but to go back to that place, eh." As the snowflakes started to fall I walked back home. Hoping maybe today they wouldn't be fighting.

_It ain't easy growin' up in World War III_

_Never known' what love could be, well I've seen_

_I don't want love to destroy me_

_Like it has done my family._

I curled myself into a ball as a hear shouting coming from down the hall. I try not to make a sound at all. _'If this is what love does to you I don't want to fall in love. I don't want to go through what they are going through.' _I wince at the sound of breaking glass comes from the direction my parents are in.

_Can we work it out?_

_Can we be a family?_

_I promise I'll be better,_

_Mommy I'll do anything._

I know that if I go into the kitchen this morning I will find Arthur is doing one of three things. One would be crying out for papa. Two he will be drinking some type of alcohol. Or three, he will destroying the kitchen with his cooking. But I can't remember the last time the last one happen. It has always the first two that have been happening for a while now. I would do anything to change that.

When I go in I see that Arthur was indeed drunk. But this time he was crying out for papa too. _'I just want them to work it out and things to be better. I would do anything.' _I want to put my hand on his shoulder as a sign of comfort but I get scared and leave.

_Can we work it out?_

_Can we be a family?_

_I promise I'll be better,_

_Daddy please don't leave._

"Please, papa, you can't leave." I beg as Francis was packing his things. Arthur was in his bedroom crying. I'm sure if Francis wasn't so mad he would have heard it.

"I'm sorry Matthew; it is for the best for your mama and me to take a break." He said. He always liked to joke calling Arthur our mom. I would have smiled if it were any other time, but not now.

"Can't you guys work it out?" I say, _'Please I want us to be a family again. _"I promise I will do better, just don't leave." I knew I was crying.

That made him stop and he walked over. "Shh, shh, mon petit, you don't have to do anything, you will understand when you are older." He was rubbing my back to calm me down. With that he kissed my forehead and took his things.

_I our family portrait_

_We look pretty happy._

_Let's play pretend,_

_Let's act like it comes naturally._

I picked up an old album that was filled with old pictures. I saw one with all of us. We all look so happy in it. _'What happened? What changed? Why can't we act like we are a happy family?" _I flipped through the pictures.

_I don't wanna have to split the holidays,_

_I don't want two addresses._

_I don't want a step-brother anyways,_

_And I don't want my mom to have to change her last name._

I was visiting Alfred because Francis and Arthur told me I couldn't be at the house today. I had just finished explaining to him how much had changed since he left. "Al, what do you think is going to happen?" I asked.

"I think they are going to get a divorce." He said. He notices my shocked face, "Hey it won't be that bad. You get to spend the holidays with one or the other, you get two houses and if one of them re-marries you might get another brother. Arthur will change his last name though." Alfred tried to make it sound not so bad but I knew he was sad too.

"But I don't want that." I said, Alfred just gave me a hug as I cried on him.

_In our family portrait, _

_We look pretty happy._

_W look pretty normal,_

_Let's go back to that._

I held an old picture from when Alfred and I were kids. He had climbed an apple tree trying to get an apple and got stuck. I smile at that and wish that we could go back to those days.

_In our family portrait,_

_We look pretty happy._

_Let's play pretend,_

_Act like it goes naturally._

I had a dream that night. We were all having a picnic together. Everyone was smiling. We were a happy family. Then I woke up to the sound of them fighting again. _'Why can't they at least pretend they are a normal family?'_

_Daddy don't leave._

_Daddy don't leave._

_Daddy don't leave._

_Turn around please._

_Remember that the night you left_

_You took my shining star?_

Alfred came up with the idea of having a family dinner. It had started fine but one thing led to another and they ended up fighting. "IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT THEN YOU CAN JUST LEAVE!" Arthur pointed to the front door

"YOU KNOW WHAT ARTHUR! I WANT A DIVORSE!" Francis yelled. Arthur looked shocked but recovered.

"FINE! I DON'T NEED YOU ANYWAY!" Arthur snapped backed.

Francis left the kitchen and started heading for the front door. _'Please no, don't leave. Papa, please don't leave.'_ I ran after him but I only made it in time to see the door slam. I head upstairs and to my room.

Through the window of my bedroom I could see Francis walking down the street. _'Turn around please, can't you see what you are doing. My last shining star is gone. You took it with you.' _I felt my knees give out from me and Alfred wrapped his arms around me. Under my breath I made promises I knew I wouldn't be able to keep just hoping that maybe it would stop him from leaving.

_Mom will be nicer,_

_I'll be so much better,_

_I'll tell my brother._

Alfred started doing the same. I knew he wanted us to be a family just as much as I wanted it.

_Oh, I won't spill the milk at dinner._

_I'll be so much better,_

_I'll do everything right._

_I'll be your little girl forever,_

_I'll go to sleep at night._

~LINE~

**Me: I feel horrible for writing this. I made Mattie so sad. Forgive me Canada *hugs Canada***

**Canada: I-It's ok**

**Me: Anyway, reviews will make Canada smile so do it.**


	2. Alfred runs away

**A/N: This takes place before Arthur and Francis divorce and after Alfred decided to runaway. I also made two YouTube videos for this story. Even though this was meant to be a one-shot I saw people fallowing this story so I decided to write a second chapter but I couldn't think of what to write so, here goes nothing.**

**Warning: hints of America x Belarus**

~LINE~

Alfred pulled the blanket around him tighter as he tried to keep himself and Natalia warm. "Sure wished we had a better place to stay than under this bridge for the night right Nat?"

He met Natalia the day after he ran away from home. He just couldn't stand his parents fighting anymore so he ran away the first chance he could. He didn't know why Natalia was in the street as well. He asked once and she yelled at him so he never asked again. She helped him out. Told him the ways of the street and he told her why he ran away.

"Yeah." She didn't look at him like she usually did when she talked.

"Is everything okay Natalia?" She pulled away from him and he let her take the blanket with her.

"No, why are you here?" she looked him in the eye with a determined fire that made Alfred feel like an open book.

"What do you mean? I thought we were friends so-"he started but she cut him off

"Not that idiot. I meant here on the street. You don't belong here." She dropped her gaze back down and bit her lip before she said, "You belong with your family. I am sure they are worried about you."

"Nat?" he smiled and hugged her. "I'm sure they are fine. Besides I have you now right?" she shook her head before lying down on the card board that she was using for a bed.

Alfred lied down next to her to go to sleep but his mind would not rest. He started to think of what Natalia said. _'I wonder how they are doing. Is Mattie ok? Are they looking for me? Did Artie and Francis stop fighting?' _And before he could stop it memories started to play in his head.

_The first time they all went to Canada to play in the snow._

_Of when Alfred got stuck in the rain and Matthew came with an umbrella and covered him._

_Of when he was little and climbing up Arthur's shoulders and fell asleep and Arthur had to use his arm to keep him from falling. _

_Then of when he was really little Arthur walking him in a field rocking him to sleep._

Alfred sometimes wonders if that last one is only a dream. He was really young in the memory. Memories plagued his mind and he was blissfully unaware that the same thing was happening to Natalia.

Natalia's memories were not as sweet as her American companion. She does have a few good memories of her family but those are of her younger and small.

_One good memory was her sharing a very long scarf with her brother and sister._

_And then of her older sister hugging them for a family picture._

_Her favorite is of when they were in a flower field and she decided to put some flowers in her sister's hair._

But then the sad memories start the she sees the scene in her mind again of her sister pulling her away from her brother as he sits in the table with a broken hearted expression on his face, and out into the cold snowy day they walked and both sisters not wishing to leave but having no choice in the matter. And she did leave her sister's house to find her brother but he was not the same when she found him. Whenever she sees a sunflower she remembers her warm hearted brother and the days in which he tried to grow on in their garden.

Both children huddled under the bridge longing for the comfort of the family they lost one by choice and another by force.

~LINE~

Away at the Kirkland-Bonnefoy, Arthur was sitting in his favorite chair, staring at the rain outside the rain. There was a fairy that floated next to him. "Why are you sad, Arthur?" she asked.

He sighed before answering, "Because my small friend, my family is broken."

"Family? What is a family?" she asked. Arthur took a moment before he decided to answer the small fairy's question.

"Well, a family is…hard to explain." He thought of his family, Matthew, Alfred and Francis, "well you have caring and devoted hearts for those close to you." Francis chooses that moment to enter.

"Who are you talking to mon cher?" he asked as he leaned on the back of the chair Arthur was sitting in.

"I was talking to one of my fairies. I was telling her what a family is. I said it hearts full of caring and devoted hearts."

"Do not forget endless love to share that fallows you everywhere you go." Francis told him.

"Quite right you are love." They both knew wished that their love would reach Alfred who was out there lost and bring him home. All of a sudden Arthur stood up and picked up his jacket.

"Where are you going mon cher, it is pouring out there." Francis tried fallowing him.

"Out, I'll be back. Don't wait up for me." Arthur couldn't handle it. The wanted to find Alfred but he had to wonder why had he run away? Did he do something wrong? The thoughts had been bothering him ever sense Alfred left. He decided to get rid of these feelings the way he used to do back in his younger year, by drinking his sorrows away at the local pub. Unaware that because of this he would develop a drinking problem that would tear his family even more apart.

~LINE~

Later on the rain had turned to snow and Alfred wished he could take himself and Natalia somewhere warm for the winter. That is when he decided they would go somewhere. He didn't want them to die out in the cold. He asked his uncle to find them a place to stay and like a good uncle he was he provided them with an apartment not far from where Alfred used to live. Natalia went to visit her brother while Alfred looked at their new home.

"Thanks Uncle Allistor." Alfred looked around the small apartment. It was big enough for two people.

Allistor patted Alfred on the head, "Aye, it's nothing laddie. And don't worry about paying. You can pay me back when ya get yourself a jab."He said ruffling up Alfred's hair.

Alfred pushed Allistor's hand off his head. "Alright I will. Thanks again though. You didn't have to help me but you did anyway."

Allistor smirked and lit a cigarette, "Well it's what family does boyo." Alfred fought to keep the smile on his face at the word family. "We help each other out in a time of need. And boy did you need it."

Alfred nodded and couldn't help but think about how his brother was dealing with being with his parents and their fighting. He really hoped Matthew was ok. And he also hoped Natalia was ok.

~LINE~

Natalia packed a few belonging in a small bag to take with her to the apartment Alfred's uncle gave them. Her brother was not happy with that she was leaving again but he hugged her and told her to be safe and to visit her sister. Things would not be the same, they never will be. "You will always be my little sister and I will love you no matter what you choose." He told her.

"Thank you big brother. I am sorry I left you alone." She hugged him back.

He let go of her to give her a scarf, "It will be getting colder, take it. And if the American does something to make you upset you can come here and I will beat him with my pipe, da?"

She took the scarf and left to live with Alfred. She felt in her pocket for the burnt picture of her and her siblings. They could never go back but they were still family and not she had another member to that family.

~LINE~

Arthur cried in the attic hugging one of Alfred's shirts. He just wanted his little boy back. His fights with Francis have been getting worse and worse. He was supposed to protect Alfred but he just drove him away. He wondered if he was safe. Was he cold? Was he eating well? Did he have a warm place to sleep? He missed the days in which the small boy looked up at him and they played dress up. He just hopes that Alfred would come home and they could be a family again.

~LINE~

**So this is before the last chapter based on the song "Always There" from Lady and the Tramp 2. Here we see how Alfred had run away and got his own place to live and the start of Arthur's drinking problems that lead to him and Francis fighting. This isn't meant to be an AmeBel story but it could be if you want me to make it like that. I don't see this pairing used a lot so I wouldn't mind adding that to the story. (even though I meant to make this a one shot I could add more chapters)**

**Also I have a video made for this chapter just look for 1821animegirl because does not let me put a link in stories.**


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